Patients & Visitors

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Directions and Transportation

Boston Medical Center is located off of Route 93 in Boston's Historic South End. The medical campus is situated across several city blocks between Harrison Avenue and Albany Street and Massachusetts Avenue and East Newton Street.

Code of Conduct

At Boston Medical Center, we are committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for all patients, visitors, and staff members. Our Code of Conduct for Patients, Visitors, and Staff outlines how we expect everyone who walks through our doors to conduct themselves, in order to create a safe hospital where we can continue to provide quality, compassionate care for all.

Please review the Code

Emergency Department Entrance Open Only for Emergency Department Patients

In order to help keep our patients and staff safe, the Emergency Department entrance is reserved for ED patients only. Patients with appointments in other buildings should enter through the front entrance of the building in which they have an appointment, on the Harrison Ave. side of the building.

Let us help you find your way. Search by a doctor, type of service, specialty, or building. If you have any questions, just give us a call at 617.638.8000.

Updated February 2, 2023

Boston Medical Center's priority is the safety of our patients, employees and visitors. To balance the needs of our patients while ensuring we have a safe hospital, visitors in certain areas will be limited due to COVID-19.

Adult Inpatient and Intensive Care Units

  • COVID-negative med/surg patients will be allowed to have two visitors at a time, between noon and 8 p.m.
  • One visitor at a time is allowed for COVID-positive patients, with the permission of the care team.
  • Critically ill patients in all locations of the hospital may have visitors 24/7.

Ambulatory Clinics

  • Two visitors per person allowed during an Ambulatory clinic visit (including the Cancer Center) or an infusion visit.
  • No visitors are allowed with COVID-positive patients. If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, please tell your provider before your visit.

Pediatric Inpatient/NICU

  • For pediatric patients, parents/guardians may visit 24/7.
  • For NICU patients, visitation is allowed 24/7 but limited to two parents/guardians.

Labor and Delivery

  • Three support people are allowed during the patient’s delivery and postpartum stay, including one overnight guest.
  • Only one visitor is allowed in the post-anesthesia and triage rooms.

Emergency Department

  • Only one visitor is allowed at this time in order to keep our staff, patients and their loved ones safe.
  • Depending on patient volume, we may at times need to limit all visitors, at the discretion of the care team, and with very few exceptions.

Surgical Services

  • Only one visitor is allowed in the IPP post-anesthesia care unit (PACU).

All Visitors

  • All visitors under 14 years of age must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
  • Visitors who are sick or have any symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, chills, muscle aches, or new onset of loss of taste and smell) may not visit.
  • All visitors will be provided a surgical mask upon arrival and are required to wear the mask continually until they leave the building, as well as practice hand hygiene.
  • Patients will be asked to wear masks for the entire time they have visitors in their rooms.

Visitor Policies in Multiple Languages 

Non-discrimination

BMC is committed to ensuring that all visitors enjoy full and equal visitation privileges consistent with patient preferences. BMC does not restrict, limit or otherwise deny visitation privileges on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability. Visitors may include, but are not limited to, spouses, domestic partners, both different-sex and same-sex significant others, both different-sex and same-sex parents, other family members, friends and persons from a patient's community.

No Smoking

Smoking is strictly prohibited in any hospital building.

Restricted Cell Phone Use

Cellular phones may not be used in patient rooms or procedure areas.

Deliveries of Mail and Flowers

Should be addressed to:

Patient's first and last name
Building and room number
(If you don't know the building or room, call 617.638.6800.)

Boston Medical Center
One Boston Medical Center Place
Boston, MA 02118

To safeguard patients, certain units such as Intensive Care Units and Medical Oncology Units restrict flower deliveries. We encourage you to check in with the nursing staff before sending or bringing flowers.

No Latex Balloons

Latex balloons are not permitted in the hospital. Mylar balloons are appreciated.

Infectious Diseases

For visitors who have been exposed to infectious diseases such as Chicken Pox, Tuberculosis (TB), Mumps or Measles within three weeks of their visit, please speak with the patient's nurse before visiting.